Penfolds Victoria Derby (Group 1)

ANDREW Gluyas, a foreman for Leon McDonald when the renowned South Australian trainer won the Victoria Derby with Rebel Raider in 2008, has followed his former boss, and now father-in-law, onto the honour roll following the impressive win of Goldrush Guru in the A$2 million Group 1 over 2,500 metres.

Ridden by Jamie Kah, who sustained a bloody nose prior to the start of the previous race after her mount threw her head back, Goldrush Guru was wide early and giving Kah a torrid time.

“My plan was to get back on him,” said Kah. “I couldn’t hold him early. I was going to be wide and somehow found a little gap to slot into. Once I found the gap, he just fell asleep and gave me a beautiful run throughout. He won it a long way out and he wanted to keep going.”

Cruising to the lead with 400 metres to run, often a fraught tactic at Flemington, the finish was an easy watch for the connections of the American Pharoah colt.

The margin was a length and a half, as the Shocking colt Scary took second ahead of the Fastnet Rock gelding China Sea.

“Obviously, we love riding Group 1 winners, but it just makes it so much more special when it’s for some fantastic people like Andrew,” added Kah, who began her career riding in South Australia.

“I used to ride for Andrew and Leon. I rode some shockers back in the day for them, so it was nice to repay them on the big stage on Derby Day,”

A home-bred by a Harry Perks-led syndicate, Goldrush Guru has won four from eight and placed three-times. The win also marks consecutive Victoria Derby victories for his US-based Coolmore sire American Pharoah, whose ill-fated Riff Rocket, won the 2023 edition as well as this year’s Australian Derby.

“He’s an American Pharoah-sired horse out of a mare who could stay, so the pedigree was there for a staying-type of horse,” said Gluyas, who was stepping Goldrush Guru up from an 1,800 metre win in the Listed Hill Stakes two weeks earlier.

“She was travelling into the corner beautifully and I thought, ‘oh, we’re a good crack here’. You always look for those horses that are full of the bridle and coming at you. But he was too strong. It was a great staying effort by Goldrush Guru.”

Coolmore Stud Stakes (Group 1)

THE Coolmore-owned A$1.5 million Snitzel colt Switzerland took control of the Coolmore Stud Stakes with 200m to run, laying the foundation for his future with a brilliant maiden Group 1 win.

Blitzing his rivals in the closing stages of the $2 million straight-six event, Switzerland won by a widening three lengths over the Star Witness filly Bellatrix Star and the Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot, by Written Tycoon.

“We had a tough start to the week, but this is racing, it gives us the biggest highs and the biggest lows,” said Tom Magnier, referencing the Cup scratching of Jan Brueghel.

“It’s just put us all back up on cloud nine. It’s the stallion-making race in Australia and that’s the business we’re in - to make stallions.”

The win brought up the ‘Bart Cummings-like’ numbers of six wins in the past 11 editions of the race for trainer Chris Waller, having won three of the past five, two of whom were for Coolmore, with Home Affairs, now standing at their Hunter Valley base for $82,500, successful in 2021.

Riding Home Affairs that day was James McDonald, who was in the seat for Switzerland, who came into the race off a smart Group 2 Roman Consul win at Rosehill.

Absolute star

“He’s been promising to do that. He’s an absolute star,” said McDonald. “He makes a jockey’s life so easy.

“He’s such a talented colt, he’s got gears to turn and after his jump out here the other day, we were cooking with gas, he went super. He’s got all the attributes to be a top sprinter.

“There are two races here in the autumn that have got a big circle around him. He’ll thicken up, he’ll develop, he’ll get stronger and better - he’s a beauty,” Waller added.

On his future, Waller was straightforward: “The beauty of winning a Group 1 race, it takes a little bit of pressure off. We’ve got to just now maintain his value. So logically, races like the Newmarket and Royal Ascot would be in our consideration.”

TAB Empire Rose Stakes (Group 1)

THE Savabeel mare Atishu has claimed her third Group 1, rectifying last year’s second placing in the Empire Rose Stakes to win this year’s edition.

Named after the 1988 Melbourne Cup winner, the 1,600m contest for fillies and mares looked Amelia’s Jewel for the taking, until the Chris Waller-trained mare burst from the middle of the pack to overwhelm Jamie Kah’s mount and win by a half-head as the pair hit the line, consigning the Siyouni mare to second. Third was the Sioux Nation mare Socks Nation with Johnny Allen up.

“What a mare she is,” said James McDonald, having just completed a Derby Day treble. “She just turns up and performs. The team have presented her in immaculate order and she’s done the job.

“Her performance in this race last year – I couldn’t believe that she got beaten. But then, as it’s turned out, Pride Of Jenni became an absolute star. She’s just a quality mare. I’m really proud of her.”

A NZ$260,000 yearling purchase by Go Racing from New Zealand Bloodstock’s Karaka yearling sale, the seven-year-old mare has now won 11 of 46 for just over A$5 million in earnings.

“She’s a beautiful mare,” said Waller. “She’s been here a long time, and horses like her are so special. When they’ve been with you that long, they’re certainly a big part of the team. They continue to fly the flag and make you proud. We thought she was building up well towards this and, knowing how well she goes at Flemington, gave us confidence more than anything.”

Atishu is now primed to defend her Champions Stakes win today with a likely clash against the Cox Plate victor Via Sistina.

“There’s a pretty good chance she’ll be back next week. She’ll have some good opposition there, but she won’t be worried about them. She’ll be saying ‘look out for me’.”

James Squire Golden Eagle

WILLIAM Haggas has again highlighted his skill in bringing horses to Sydney, taking the largest prize on offer across the weekend in winning the A$10 million Golden Eagle over 1,500 metres for four-year-olds at Rosehill with his No Nay Never colt Lake Forest.

“That was great, absolutely amazing. We love our little raids,” said Haggas from Italy, who has won five Group 1s in Sydney with Addeybb and Dubai Honour.

Ridden by Cieren Fallon, Lake Forest was near last on the final bend at his first try beyond six furlongs and looked too far off it with a furlong remaining.

Sprouting wings in the closing stages, Fallon took the shortest way home, pinching the lead in the final three strides to bank the A$5.25 million winners’ cheque, though having to survive a protest. Second was the French-bred Territories gelding Lazzat trained by Jerome Reynier, with the Harry Angel gelding Tom Kitten the best of the locals in third.

“I can’t believe it, I’m lost for words. Everything went to Plan A,” said Fallon. “We knew we had a lot of speed and had to save his turn of foot. I thought if we used too much energy early on, we’d have been taking away our turn of foot. So, I had to ride him quite brave and hope we got a bit of luck.”

Not good advertisement

With the stewards dismissing protests of second to the winner and the fifth to the second, Chief steward Steve Railton remarked: “What we saw over the last 50 metres is not a good advertisement for racing.” On the head-on, Fallon’s mouth did hang left, bumping the second, and squeezing out the fifth, under a right-hand whip drive.

As a consequence, both Cieren Fallon and Antonio Orani, aboard Lazzat, were both given one month riding bans and fines of $100,000 (a record) and $30,000 respectively for careless riding offences.

In Rosehill’s other feature, the A$3 million Russell Balding Stakes over 1,300m, Everest winner Bella Nipotina, with Craig Williams up, franked her superior ability to defeat her 10 rivals by two lengths and extend her record to 11 wins from 56 starts for just over $20.5 million in earnings. Second only to Winx in earnings for an Australian horse.